Keke Rosberg vs Alain Prost

1986·

Alain Prost beat Keke Rosberg 13–3 at McLaren in 1986, helped by 8 retirements for Keke Rosberg. Race-by-race qualifying, finishing and points record.

Keke RosbergAlain Prost

4Qualifying12

16 shared races

3Race day13

16 shared races

22Points74

in shared races, as awarded at the time

88Points (today’s rules)233

in shared races, rescored 25-18-15…

Wins: 0/4
Podiums: 1/11
Poles: 1/1
Retirements: 8/3
Best finish: P2/P1
Avg. grid: 6.5/4.3

Race by race

Round-by-round comparison of Keke Rosberg and Alain Prost
R	Grand Prix	Grid	Keke Rosberg	Alain Prost	Points
1	1Brazilian Grand Prix	7/9	Engine	Engine	0 / 0
2	2Spanish Grand Prix	5/4	P4	P3	3 / 4
3	3San Marino Grand Prix	6/4	P5	P1	2 / 9
4	4Monaco Grand Prix	9/1	P2	P1	6 / 9
5	5Belgian Grand Prix	8/3	Engine	P6	0 / 1
6	6Canadian Grand Prix	6/4	P4	P2	3 / 6
7	7Detroit Grand Prix	9/7	Transmission	P3	0 / 4
8	8French Grand Prix	7/5	P4	P2	3 / 6
9	9British Grand Prix	5/6	Gearbox	P3	0 / 4
10	10German Grand Prix	1/2	P5	P6	2 / 1
11	11Hungarian Grand Prix	5/3	Suspension	Accident	0 / 0
12	12Austrian Grand Prix	3/5	P9▼	P1	0 / 9
13	13Italian Grand Prix	8/2	P4	Disqualified	3 / 0
14	14Portuguese Grand Prix	7/3	Electrical	P2	0 / 6
15	15Mexican Grand Prix	11/6	Puncture	P2	0 / 6
16	16Australian Grand Prix	7/4	Tyre	P1	0 / 9
	Average finish		P4.6	P2.5

How to read this table

The driver ahead in a round is shown in bold, the other in grey. Grid shows Keke Rosberg / Alain Prost.
P1 a win,P3 a podium,DNF a retirement.
▲ a finish at least 4 places better than that driver’s own average finish this season (see the average row), ▼ at least 4places worse. Retirements are not counted in the average.

Keke Rosberg’s career Alain Prost’s career McLaren 1986 season All teammate battles

How these numbers are calculated

Only races both drivers started are counted. Entries that did not qualify, did not pre-qualify or were withdrawn are excluded, as are cars that never left the grid or the garage, and the Indianapolis 500 of 1950–1960.
Until the mid-1960s drivers could share a car during a race. Each driver is compared from the car they started (which sets their grid position), with the best result of any car they drove and the points from all of them, as officially credited.
Qualifying is compared on grid position rather than session times. Session-by-session qualifying data only exists from 1994, while grid position is recorded for over 99% of entries right back to 1950 — including every race of the 1950s, 60s and 70s.
On race day the driver classified ahead takes the round. If neither was classified, the one who completed more laps is credited; if both retired on the same lap it is scored as a tie and excluded from the tally.
Points are those awarded at the time and include sprint races from 2021. Where the season used an older system, a second points row rescores every round under the current system so seasons from different eras can be compared.
These are points scored in the races both drivers started, not their season totals: races either missed, or contested alongside a different teammate, are left out. Up to 1990 even full-season totals differ from the championship standings, because only a driver’s best results counted towards the title. In 1988 Alain Prost outscored Ayrton Senna 105 to 94 and still lost the championship. Theseason page has the final standings.